dansview If you want to say that there were girls like this at that time and in that place, that's fine. I know there were and this is a movie about them. But let's not ever say that just because you have little parental supervision and you live in the Valley during the disco era, does not mean that decadence is your only option.You could choose to pursue academics, school sports or extracurricular activities. You could get a part time job,explore church, do volunteer work or practice a musical instrument. You could be in a committed relationship or listen to classical music.These girls are choosing the White Trash option. None of their parents are unemployed or living in a trailer.I always wonder about the hygiene of such kids. It's not like they did a lot of flossing or ate whole foods. They vomited, ate junk food, smoked, drank, did drugs and slept around. Wouldn't their breath reek and their clothes be crusty? Disgusting.I think it's completely ridiculous to say that this is the way teens of that era were in So Cal. Some were, but plenty weren't.Having said all that, this movie had grit and that was its' best quality. The street scenes, the freestyle dialog, and the concert footage were real and made an impact. Real people do not live in a polished way, even the educated, and real people do not speak from a script.Great opening and utilization of Donna Summer/Giorgio Moroder music. Also nice use of a climax that would inevitably lead to a permanent change in course for the girls. Actions have consequences. The blonde chick was a train wreck waiting to embrace her fate.While it's true that the sheer size, commercialism, and heat of the Valley can lead to alienation, it didn't have to be that way. Back then there were plenty of parks, book stores, skating rinks, and single family homes with pools and orange trees. You just had to choose your friends wisely and stay focused on productive pursuits.

cvoci-1 One of the best portrayals of being a teen in the late 70's early 80's. Jodie Foster is simply wonderful as the one who tries to hold all of her friends together through the difficult times of being a teen in Califirnia; actually this could have been set in any city. I lived this life of parties, concerts and excess during this same era. Being 44 and looking back it is like looking back into my own memories of kids I went to school with and the things we experienced. Though the look of this movie is dated, big hair, satin jackets etc, however it certainly is still relevant. Donna Summer's "On the Radio" is such a great song and is a vital part of the fabric of this move. This is movie is so much better than the teen sex farces that seemed to proliferate after this movie came out - because it is a pretty close portrayal of what being a teen at this time was like with absent parents and lots of free time.If you haven't seen it you should...

Brian T. Whitlock (GOWBTW) Coming of age movies are quite usual these days. For 1980, "Foxes" really gives its meaning. Jodie Foster plays her character straight out. Ever since she did "Taxi Driver" four years earlier, she has a stronger character in this movie. She's Jeanie, a high schooler who has plenty of guts, and seems to get out of any situation she's in. Scott Baio plays Brad way before Chachi on "Happy Days". He's deemed immature by the other girls. Cherie Currie is Annie, hangs with the wrong crowd, chased by her policeman father. Jeanie and her three other friends decide to live on the wild side until they move into a rented house where a party get totally out of hand. Exploring life on the other side of the tracks can be either fun or dangerous. Annie is rescued by Jeanie and Brad all the time whenever she gets wasted. Reality comes back hard where she is killed in a automobile accident. And one gets married to a much older man. Growing up isn't easy, sometimes we got to explore life how it is. In reality, you got to be careful about the people surrounding you. For me, I was my own person, and I tend to stay that way! Great music, great plot, this movie's a gem! 4 out of 5 stars!

Rack-Focus "Foxes" is a serious look at the consequences of growing up too fast in the 1980s. And unlike the teen sex comedies that overshadowed it (Porky's, Fast Times at Ridgement High), the movie holds up well against time.Its theme of teen angst is as relevant today as it was 25 years ago and Jodie Foster and sk8er boi Scott Baio (remember him?) lead a fine young cast that's well worth watching.The film follows four Southern California girls as they move through a rootless existence of sex and drugs and devoid of parents. The teens spend their days in and out of school and their nights at parties, concerts, or out on the street. Seldom are they home because instant gratification is a pill, party, or boy away.But rather than condemning them, the film is sympathetic, blaming absent, uncaring adults for forcing the teens to grow up alone. And the charismatic cast is impossible to dislike.The film's opening – a long and loving pan - sets the tone for what follows. We see the girls asleep at daybreak amid the objects that define teen girlhood, from Twinkies to a picture of a young John Travola, while Donna Summer's "On the Radio" is scored beneath.From there the movie picks up speed as the girls head off to school and to life. Annie (Runaway rocker Cherie Currie) is the wild child who lives for the next party or pill. Deirdre (Kandice Stroh) is the boy crazy drama queen. Madge (Marlilyn Stroh) is the shy girl in over her head. And Foster is the one with the plan. It's her job to keep this crew together long enough to finish high school while also holding her divorced and desperate man hunting mother in line (Sally Kellerman).It's an almost impossible job and one that Foster ultimately fails at.Despite its age, "Foxes" remains a pleasure to watch. Dated hair, clothes, and references to Olympic skater Dorothy Hamill haven't hurt the movie.The cinematography is simply stunning, with breathtaking filtered shots of the L.A. basin at dawn, dusk and at night. Giorgio Moroder adds a 80s soundtrack featuring the likes of Donna Summer and Janis Ian.Perhaps the movie's biggest disappointment is that the young stars around Foster never broke out like the casts of "St. Elmo's Fire" (1985) or "Empire Records" (1995). "Foxes" shows why they should have. But perhaps like Bowling for Soup's song "1985," they just hit a wall.